Following Barack Obama’s historic victory in the US election, there is now
renewed speculation changes will be made to tax laws, including US companies
paying tax on overseas earnings only when profits are repatriated.

Despite this, Robert Shapiro, economic advisor to Obama, said there will be
‘no seismic change in flows of FDI [foreign direct investments] to Ireland or
anywhere else as a result of the changes.’

Shapiro made the comments at a conference in Dublin, according toft.com

US investments account for 80% of Irish exports and two thirds of
manufacturing employment.

Aidan Brady, country manager of Citibank in Ireland, said any such change
would have a direct and irreparable impact on Ireland’s competitive tax system.

‘If we lose that tax advantage you can throw the keys away. We need to lobby
as hard as we can with the Obama team to make sure we maintain that tax
advantage,’ he said.